Leaving a Legacy that Lasts Forever - Teach Them to Manage Their Wealth Wisely, Part 1

Money how much of it can you have and still be godly is a more spiritual to be poor or spiritually rich. What does money say about us and how do you get God's help handle your money. Well, that's today welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge trip. It is are vital to this daily discipleship program motivated Christians to live like Christians were in the middle of our series leaving a legacy that lasts forever fewer things cause more discord and conflict than money, families, and relationships can be torn apart by the waves, which is why your kids and grandkids open money rooted in God's word in this program just breaks down what Scripture says about wealth and what it means to be good stewards of what God has given us. As always, if you missed any part of the series catch up with the chipping remap. Also, let me encourage you to download the free MP3 LivingontheEdge.org and share them with a friend or loved one here now is to put this message. Teach them to manage their wealth twice to ask you a series of about five questions and then here's how I want you to think one part of your brain going.

This is my answer the question and then the second is how do you think those people that matter to you most would answer this question because I want you to begin to ponder, where are they at with this issue of wealth and money so this is my answer and I want to see past when they answered about the same, or all were really on different pages and is just little diagnostic tool.

Are you ready okay question number one, talking about money, how much is enough write a number coming. You don't give me one of those soft just enough to cover our needs and live comfortably, whatever that means. I mean if it's a million. Write a million if it's 5 million 5,500,000 how much money is enough to really live and be who God want you to be from where you're living for you in your world right now and then I want you to be thinking what would my son, my daughter, the guys in my Bible study. What would they say. Question number two. How much is too much right on the dollar amount. In other words, if God gave you $2 million that would be enough but 11 Mike, send you over the edge or $50 million you feel like you can handle or what you want is X a month you would want to a big stop. I don't know what you what's the answer that question. How much would be too much.

You would say, God, please third question can I be both godly and rich yes or no and then you want to think about how does the person you want to pass us on how would answer that cannot both be godly and rich question number four. If riches and material goods can choke out spiritual life for me on bring to that passage in Mark chapter 4 and you know the seed of God's word and is for different kinds of soil and one of the soils is the thorny soil and the thorny soil grows up right in the chokes out very life. The word of God in a believer's heart if that in fact is true and it is because Jesus said it is poverty, God's calling for spiritual maturity and if not what is and it is okay to write on some of these answers.

I don't know, but that's a good question. I don't know.

But how would you answer that and then how would that guide your discipling.

How would one your grandkids.

How would one of your kids answer that final question why does Jesus warn against the deceitfulness of riches and and what I want to talk about here is deceitful. Now the definition of when you're deceived you don't know you're deceived me. That's part B and C right and so apparently wealth has an ability to allow you to live as best you know in fellowship with God, obeying him and doing what you think is really good and right and fruitful and actually have your ladder leaning against the wrong wall be totally off.

Apparently there's something about money. Now it's clear money is not in and of itself evil.

We have wealthy people in Scripture we have poor people in Scripture, but apparently according to Jesus, wealth or money has the power to deceive us into thinking were doing okay when were really not.

Which by the way I think is pretty scary. I remember my daughter when she was much younger.

We were riding in the car and we have lived in a very tiny little houses and we have taken quarters out of the backseat and we've had God miraculously provide and then my job and my world changed at different times and then I moved to Atlanta and God had blessed in a number of areas and we were riding in our little housing development and there's some big pretty trees and we are coming around the corner and he turned to me and said that I said yes she is. Are we rich and my temptation was to say will honey were in this subdivision, and our houses are really nice.

But the really rich people. They live in the country club of the South okay you know the mansions you know the really big houses and beautiful golf course and you never have the statues out front. Now they're the really rich people, but I resisted that temptation and I said yes and he were rich. We have more than I ever dreamed would ever have. We have an abundance of everything we used to have to live really tight, and now we want to go out to eat and go out to eat were rich, as are most Americans when you look at it globally.

But here's the deceitfulness of wealth. I just want to tap into this. I don't care where you're at your flesh and your human nature will take wherever you're at on the economic scale and you will unconsciously tilt about 10 to 20� above you.

They are rich people and you are sorta middle or upper middle class and and by the way, it never ends. I was with a executive and land on. He and I was a professional basketball player years ago with the Celtics and even at 62. He still plays we play little pickup and is about 68. We have a lot of fun and he really cares about our ministry and so I would teach these are: Lanna Bible studies and like to 300 business people and and the big Gary come up with sitting chip. I'm telling you, I invited some friends that grace is not man what you're doing and they need and I mean I think they could be a part of this thing. Chip their serious money given him an incident that had a chip coming this is this is serious money. I mean their old wealth. All I'm thinking you know I mean I've course in my mind I'm here in Gary's hear music professional basketball player. He owns his own company. He has a place in Hilton Head. You know he's a multimillionaire, but he does not see PC heat. He's probably worth out of 10, 12, 15 million does not see himself as rich, but these people got serious money right now because of what I do believe this or not, I actually had the opportunity to do some of these conferences where they bring very very wealthy people together, and I've had with a straight face conversations with people who told me you know I have a giving plan. I really want to help the kingdom, but once my portfolio goes under $500 million. I feel like I really need to back off and you laugh until maybe you got $500 and you have a line and I have a line I will guarantee you do and that line is far different if I could turn the clock back. Well it have to do different numbers for different people.

But 10 years for some 20 years 30 years.

But if you can imagine yourself in your late teens early 20s starting a career and someone freeze-frame you and then boom you didn't live it but they said okay when you get to be 59 years old or 67 years old and you have this much money you look ago are you kidding me.

I never have that much and you have it right now and yet you think you think your sorta upwardly mobile and doing okay. In fact we had this big big thing that's happened in the losing of money, never talking to another one of my very wealthy friends who's a great business guy was going bankrupt three times and so he has the most healthy view of money.

Anyone I've ever met my life and how many you talk about a guy who gets it's all God's thesis because believe me, I can make it and lose it and make it and lose it, and he said here's what people understand is it everyone you know 10 years ago had X amount of dollars. Let's say you put in 04, $500,000 or $50,000 and I just use numbers but let's say and then you 10 years ago.

Lisette went from half a million to 2 1/2 million or went from 5 million to 20 million that was 10 years ago will now everything crashes and if you had, you know, half a million.

You've only got three but you had nine and so you know what it's like me and this is this is a loss of its main dollars. My life stinks or I had $15 million now only have seven instead of how many people have you heard talking about the downturn in the economy going. You know five years ago or 10 years ago. I only had $1 million and now have nine.

What a bummer that you don't understand what I'm trying to help you see you and I in this disease. Jesus said it's with everybody. This disease is we reframe reality and money has this power to make us think in ways totally do not correspond with what's true and what we want to talk about. If that's true of us imagine those children and those disciples and those people in your women's group and that young girl you're trying to help and those grandkids. Imagine if that's true for all of you men who walk with the Lord a lot longer.

How do you pass on what they need to manage their wealth and a wise way I came across the article by Ray Petrone. He is from upholstery and dart and then it's a private wealth counsel and I just want to read. I just want you to get how serious this is this is a secular resource, though this is from a Christian background, but he writes in a T councils were very wealthy people about transfer of funds. He says when it comes to learning values and decision-making. There's one thing I found to be true. Some things are taught.

Some things are caught in some things have to be learned the hard way i.e. experience just because our children grow up and leave home doesn't mean that parenting is over as parents will be given a host of opportunities to help guide them. The methods and the tools may require a bit more sophistication but the fact is I will always be ahead of them in life it's opportunities in its responsibilities. One of the final experiences we create for families will actually happen right after we leave this world for many families that experiences being left to chance more than they realize.

Listen to this.

It is estimated that approximately $52 trillion will change hands to the next generation. Between 1998 and 2050 2 trillion $52 trillion. Here's the bad news. Approximately 70% of the estates fail. Following their transition into the hands of heirs. That's right 70% of heirs involuntarily lose control of the transfer of assets by poor investments dissipation through family arguments and legal expenses, or just plain inattention and lack of preparation. Now this is the key.

What is not. The problem is poor estate planning what I mean is that most people's estate documents are just fine the reason for the failure with the state transitions lies in the family itself.

Note, here's here's some stats 60% of failed estates fail due to the lack of trust or communication and breakdown in the family. Another 25% fail because of a lack of training to ensure the families prepared to manage the wealth that they've inherited manage means more than just professional money management but also the discipline to spend it wisely and not all of it in a short period of time now. I hope at this point in time. Here's my hopeful experience for where you might be at mentally and emotionally.

There some questions about money that you haven't thought about that have a real definite answer in your soft and your thinking about when I asked how much is enough yet felt it was sore like there must be some secret Christian answer, but like as much as I can get with the answer, but I voice played around my mind right, but, or how much is too much will I never thought of that. Yet in Scripture we have the wisest man of the world praying God don't give me too much right don't give me too much more than I can handle least I forget who you are.

Don't give me too little least. I still defame your name and then this issue of well can you be godly and rich Lotta rich people struggle with all kind of guilt because instead of seeing it as a stewardship and from God and my priorities in order.

And by the way don't have to tell everyone I got it on sale or that I won the great vacation to Vail or to Canc�n. It's like I had the money. I'm generous with my money. I wanted to go there. I enjoy skiing. I had a good time and I'm a Christian. Okay and we didn't we didn't build the swimming pool. Do baptisms.

I God's bless me in a second home wasn't just for the pastoral staff events we really care about. We wanted little getaway for them.

Mean you'd you can imagine all the phony baloney I get from people but a lot of that is rooted in guilt. A lot of that is, we don't understand what God's given us what it means to be a steward how to enjoy richly what is giving you, and how to be sacrificially generous with what is giving you and to know you're in the right spot with your money, your money is the clearest singular barometer of your soul of anything going on your life. That's why Jesus talk more about money than heaven and hell combine my money reveals my priorities, my money reveals my values, my money reveals where my heart is. Imagine if you will, your wallet or your 401(k) or your black credit card that you own or your purse. Imagine a chain connected to that into your heart and wherever that money goes. That's were that's the real reflection of my heart and so when you start thinking about transferring the things that matter most man you have to have not only a clear plan but help those you care about those disciples are kids or grandkids to going to training because it's so deceitful. So with that, let's dig in together and let's talk about a theology of wealth or stewardship, and let's teach them how to manage their wealth wisely coming again. If you were going to die exactly 365 days from now. There's few things you could do that would help those you love the most, than to teach them model for them and put into place and things how to manage their wealth, because there tire focus of their life will follow that okay theology of stewardship and and this is sort of a summary of a lot of teaching. I just want to get the basics and will begin God owns everything and you can jot Psalm 50 verse 12 the earth is mine, and the fullness thereof, declares the Lord God owns everything that is a big big step that you need to pass on. Second, God has entrusted his things time, talent and treasure to us to manage for him. The apostle Paul would write what do you have the habit received this this is this is the tipping point. This is the clarity of all about stewardship. It's God's he's entrusted to you.

It's not yours. It's not mine is his you're a manager you're a steward.

The New Testament word is or economy.

It's comes from the root word of the house. It's the governor of the oversight of household and he's put so much time and so much energy and so much spiritual gift and so much money deposited into your world and your his money manager. Okay. Third, God expects a positive return on his investment.

I mean, he is the best banker in the universe.

He has deposited certain things for different people at different times. According to our ability and purposes and expectations and when you meet him, not to deal with the issue of your sin, but for the issue of rewards. He expects a positive return. In fact, the his God will hold you accountable might jot down second printing chapter 5, you might read through that slowly that's called the bema seat. It's a judgment not again for your sins that's been judged at the cross you're saved by grace. Now, what did you do with the new life you will stand before God.

All stand before God and I'll give an account of this, how does using money I gave you how to use the time I gave you and then I'll be rewarded or disappointed. Accordingly, notice the motivation God wants you to share in his joy. He's given you money not to be a burden around your neck.

He's given you wealth and opportunity.

Not so you feel like what am I supposed to do.

It's to create a relationship at a level in your heart so that as you learn to use it and say UNESCO like this father. How would you like this money used father. How would you like this money used as you cooperate with that. His whole goal is that you would have a level of joy and intimacy with him do the transaction all share a story of how that works in a minute but this is just sort of the outline. Finally, the Old Testament roots are Genesis chapter 126 to 29 and I just just listen this this just listen to it since then God said, let us make man in our image and our likeness and and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground and so God created man in his own image in the image of God he created him male and female he created them and then listen this God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number and fill all the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the ground.

Then God said, I I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth, and every tree that is fruit and seed in it. They will be yours for food. Did you see what it's my earth. I created you have added manage it well. I put you in charge. You're in charge of the plan you run it you develop your my steward Joe put it another way, in Job chapter 1. After some devastating things that were taken away. Job understood what the word second. It's hard to lose stuff, but I guess if it really wasn't my stuff gives me perspective.

He says that this Joe got up, tore his robe shaved his head and then he fell to the ground in worship and said naked I came for my mother's womb, and naked, I will part the Lord gave the Lord is taken away by the name of the Lord be praised. See, I get really angry when God takes things away when I start thinking it's mine.

How could you do that to me. I worked hard for this. This is my stuff. I had a plan for this and so put part of the whole stewardship thing is really coming to grips that God owns it all.

The two biblical profiles here in the New Testament command is Matthew chapter 25 verses 14 through 30 and and I put that in your notes. It's a very long passage and in light of that. What I like to do is give you the summary you're familiar probably with it. Jesus is teaching about stewardship and Jesus is teaching about being ready for his return.

And Jesus is talking about what it looks like to be his manager and so he tells a story and he talks about this person who's going to go to a faraway country and he gives five talents of treasure to 12 talents of tethered treasure to another, one talent to another. He goes for a long period of time and one with five talents doubles it so he brings in five more. The one with two doubles that he brings into more and both of those here this well done, thou good and faithful servant or steward come enter into the joy of your master. This was my stuff. I entrusted to you for a period of time you had brains opportunity and you could do with it whatever you want, but the goal was, it would be pleasing to me.

I've come back to hold you accountable.

My dreaming holding you accountable is not to be down on you it was to you to get to experience some things in our relationship and what I had now well done.

Now the one with one it says he went and hid it in the ground which basically says he didn't put in the bank basically also says that the bank would know it actually belongs to someone else and so he comes in and then he makes an excuse and his excuse is a very warped view of God in the context in its I knew you are a harsh master and you you know glean where you haven't sown and you are really tough to live with in your is it okay if that's what you think. I really am. Take this wicked one away and give his one talent to the one that has to see what he did as he buried it.

He didn't do anything with it. He didn't put in the bank and get interest for his master and Jesus point of that whole talent is that each one of us according to his purposes for us and some abilities deposited in us have been given different levels of gift different levels of financials, different levels of opportunities and the measure is not how do I do compared to someone else.

The thesis of the whole parable is what did you do with what God entrusted to you and did you notice that number five talent Gaya number two talent guy got the same commendation got the same price because they both fulfilled with what they had God wanted to do and part of it is because here, but the spirit of God, as were going through these very basic things from his word is beginning to expose some of how were deceived and some of your feeling really uncomfortable. Can I tell you, that's probably a good experience because how do you ever change. If you don't realize while and when God convicts us.

He's not down on you is not lies not in heaven. You took morning room, give it to maybe give it to them. You know his whole goal when he shows me sin in my life is to restore his son back in the intimate fellowship with the father so he could say chip you know you are deceived you know you you Think everybody else is rich in your your daughter ask you a simple question and you finally had the guts to say yeah but you know what your dad came from depression era and you've been poor most of your life. You actually in a struggle with money and did not and so you are uncomfortable with God's blessing even though you know, I should say are my priorities on the are you giving more than you ever dreamed you could ever give. Yeah so want you enjoy the house because I'm a little uncomfortable instead of thinking that's what got most go on today I want to stop right now.

Ask that question. If we were highball the highball Sitton you know across the table and I could say to you and then you could ask me so how are you doing with what God's entrusted to you.

I mean, how are you handling your money. How are you handling the talents, the energy, the God's given you, and if we were eyeball to eyeball, would you look at me and what I be able to look at you and say you know something I think I'm being a good steward. The fact of the matter is this of all the areas in the Christian life where were woefully lacking and I just have to admit a lot of it is our fault as pastors. We've done a very poor job of teaching the body of Christ, about money, you know the word money comes up. Everyone gets all of the Georgian we don't talk about in church and so do we have all these Christians and dad.

We all these Christians making bad money decisions and all these Christians that again it meet a holy God and he's gonna ask you this question is can ask me this question and is not hypothetical to say. So what did you do and I don't know about you may not.

I want have a good answer. I just taught on this subject to stewardship and I was pretty straightforward as you might imagine, and I had literally email after email after email and people come up and thanked me for being so direct and so clear about the topic of money and I never forget I was walking you know down the aisle, ready to head out after last service in a couple weeks say something just a moment. Yeah, he sitting I've been out of work for 8 to 10 months and I want to thank God for that. I'm looking at him like what he said yeah I said you know what of it within 1 to 2 months. I'll just tell you I would've learned what you said today was so right. He said every time I made more money. I just figured out how to spend as much as I've made in my wife, she's over here. I looked over at her notes and on her notes today. She wrote, oh dear God we you please forgive me for being such a poor steward of the resources that you entrusted to me and in your tears coming down this lady's eyes and she said you know something we have committed now were now living on 60% less in our expenses are 60% less than they were eight months ago and were realizing it's God's money and were going to be good stewards of God's money and I can't tell you the peace and the freedom that we have all I can tell you it might be hard but God has a plan to help you get out of debt help you learn to be a good steward and have a great answer when he ask you so what did you do with the time the talent and the treasure that I entrusted you. Thanks to if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram in the first part of his message. Teach them to manage their wealth wisely. You know kids today are experiencing a real crisis of character.

So many young adults don't know how to properly handle hardships or make wise choices are also lost when it comes to managing money or finding meaning in their work. For those of you with teenagers or adult children. You understand the struggle I'm talking about but don't lose hope. The Bible has the answers. Stick with us for this entire series of strip unpacks five key biblical lessons that will equip you to pour into the kids you care about to find all the resources for leaving a legacy that lasts forever.

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Until next time.

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